Vampires. No matter how you write, direct or act them, they are pretty basic in their composition. They suck blood, they stroll around at night, and as of late, they have been easy money in terms of revenue.
This morning, on a whim, I chose to go see Faye Jackson's much talked about piece, Strigoi, to confirm my suspicion on just how far the vampire craze has spread. After watching it, I can honestly tell you that the Romanian film is quite forgettable; though it did surprise me by venturing away from the mainstream western ideals of zombies and their chaotic lives.
Instead of the lurking in the middle of the night and killing people with bites, the deceased characters in this film serve as a backdrop to a winding conspiracy that involves death, murder and land ownership. Though not entirely original, it was a pleasant side track from the usual on-screen love affairs and killings that have accompanied many other genre films, and for that I am extremely grateful.
Featuring an entire Romanian cast, the film is still presented in English, though there are occasional moments where the dialogue is hidden behind the harsh accents of the actors. Smoking is a central theme during the entire film, often serving as comic relief during otherwise lacking moments - though it's involvement never proves important to the overall story. And each performer does an acceptable job with his or her role, though never warranting a large amount of praise for their actions. Think decent, not great.
I often found myself confused with the customs of the characters, as well as the progression of the story. Central characters began to overlap, names became muffled and two distinct dancing sequences came out of left field to confuse and complicate the matter. It didn't ruin the entire film for me, but when one character is referring to other characters and their land ownership rights, things became quite blurry as I attempted to sort through the mud and achieve, at the very least, name recognition - a feat that was rarely accomplished.
As the film begins to wind down, it becomes evident that the story has run its course. When it is all said and done, the feature races past its allotted time by some twenty minutes, and even then I'm not sure how great everything would have been.
As it was, Strigoi is an entertaining film, though most definitely a one-time watch. Lacking that special 'it' factor that gets you hooked, the film leaves you with mixed feelings. On one side of the equation, you find yourself relieved that a movie can go against stereotype and give the old and dry vampire genre a new way to think about its lead characters. But on the other hand, the mass confusion and loose ends make for an unflattering experience. As a result, the film is one to be seen and appreciated for what it does have (murder, mystery, deceit) - only then will you leave satisfied.
